Gratitude is one of the values we hold high at Future Cleantech Architects. That is why we would like to express our thanks to a small family foundation dedicated to climate action, the climate foundation Erbwandel, who is supporting us with 60,000 Euros this year.
The Erbwandel foundation was founded by Susanne Kersig and gathers Kersig’s nieces and nephews. The foundation’s goal is to protect the climate and safeguard a livable planet for this and future generations.
But Kersig’s idea was also to empower the generation most impacted by the climate crisis: Primarily, her nieces and nephews should decide on how the foundation’s funds should be allocated.
We were one of three carefully selected organizations that presented to the Susanne Kersig and her nieces and nephews.
We made the case that emissions from cement production could be reduced if demand decreased as a result of efficiency measures in design and construction. Experts call this “structural efficiency”.
At its core, structural efficiency leverages time-proven approaches to design buildings – think: Roman architecture – and combining them with state-of-the art simulation and automation software to build more efficiently while drastically reducing usage of emissions-intensive materials.
“The decarbonization potential is what convinced us,” said Isabel Kersig, one of Susanne Kersig’s nieces and nephews, who herself holds a Master’s degree in sustainable resource management.
“That and the fact that Future Cleantech Architects is a small but highly professional team of specialists with a strong track record for their science-based policy advocacy is what tipped the scales in favor of Future Cleantech Architects.”
The family members assembled in the foundation are now looking forward to seeing the research progress.
“In our ideal world, this work would be a first step towards European standards and regulations that ensure that less cement is used in construction, while maintaining safety, of course,” said Isabel Kersig.
To learn more about how to decarbonize the cement and concrete industry, read our policy brief!